Journal packing washing machine



Oct. 13, 1936. L T, EVAN 2,057,185

JOURNAL PACKING WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 1955 INVENTOR Leonard I Eva 275,

ATTOR NEYS N am I Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT cries 6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for washing journal box waste for the purpose of cleansing the same. When journal box waste has been removed from the journal boxes of railroad trains and the like this waste is filled with sand, grit, fine particles of bearing metal and the like and one of the steps in the renovating of this waste is that of thoroughly washing the waste in heated oil.

Heretofore in commercial practice it has been customary to immerse the waste in a tank containing heated oil and agitating the same by hand, preferably by a long pole or rake worked around into the waste and stirring the waste.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an apparatus for rapidly and economically agitating the waste in the renovating oil and thoroughly washing the same by mechanical means.

For the purpose of disclosing my invention 1 have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of such a structure;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the delivery end of my structure, and

Fig. 5 is a detail of the propeller and agitator.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated I provide an elongated tank I for containing the cleansing oil, which tank is provided near its bottom with steam pipes 2 supported above the bottom of the tank on rests 3 and extending the length of the tank.

Mounted within this tank is an agitating con veyor having a plurality of spiral or helical blades 4. These blades are preferably formed of strips or slats of sheet metal as 5, slightly spaced apart and secured at suitable intervals to radial arms 6 extending radially from a shaft 1. The radial arms 6 are spaced along the shaft longitudinally and are so disposed around the shaft that at the intake end of the conveyor, the slats 5 will be given a rather sharply pitched helical arrangement and towards the opposite ends of the shaft the arms are so arranged and spaced that the pitch of the helix decreases until at the delivery end, this pitch is very slight. As a result, when the material is dumped into the receiving end, it tends to move more rapidly, but as it approaches the delivery end, this forward movement slows down in order to give complete agitation to the material. The shaft 1 at one end is supported in a suitable journal 8 supported in one end of the tank. For a portion of its length, the greater portion thereof toward the de livery end, the helical blades are surrounded by a screen 9 supported at suitable intervals from the radial arms 6 on the shaft 7 and rotatably resting on roller iii supported from the front wall of the tank. This screen does not extend clear to the receiving end of the propeller but does extend clear to the delivery end. Therefore, a portion oi the propeller projects beyond the screen at the receiving end to receive the material to be cleansed. The pitch of the blades of the propeller is greater on that portion projecting beyond the screen cylinder to move the material forward more rapidly while due to the slighter pitch of the blades in the cylinder the movement of the material through the cylinder is slowed up. Arranged below this propeller is'a suitable platform H which is of a height to be in close proximity to the receiving end of the screen.

The opposite or front end of the tank is cut away to provide a delivery opening l2 in the end wall thereof and this delivery opening preferably has the peculiar shape illustrated in Fig. l to permit the delivery of the washed material from the tank, but prevent unnecessary splashing of the Washing oil out of the tank.

At the delivery end of the tank I provide a well or sump l3 having one side open to the opening [2, and extending upwardly and to one side of the tank, from this sump is a trough having the two side members Hi as well as a bottom. An endless conveyor l5 comprising slats on a pair of endless side webs follows the contour of the bottom of the well or sump and the trough, being guided in its travel by inwardly extending lips l5 projecting from the side walls of the well and trough and beneath which the conveyor passes. This conveyer may be provided with fingers I! disposed at suitable distances along its length, or with perforated cups it or both.

The oil level is preferably maintained at about the level indicated in the drawing and of sufficient height to permit a partial immersion of the bottom portion of the screen and of the propeller.

In operation the waste is delivered to the receiving end of the propeller and due to the helical or spiral shape of the blades thereof it moves forwardly into the screen, being at the same time rotated in the screen and immersed in the oil, raised from the oil by the action of the spiral conveyors and allowed to drop back in the oil, always moving forward to a certain extent until l2. During its progressive movement the waste 3 is tumbled through the oil and a certain amount 5 of agitation is set up in the oil by the spiral movements of the blades. That is, there is a forward and backward surging of the oil induced by the movement of the spiral blades therethrough so that the waste is not only thoroughly agitated but the oil is caused to surge and work through the waste oil until it is cleansed. It is finally de livered from the propellers into the well and onto the conveyor and during the time it is carried by the conveyor excess oil is allowed to drain out through the slats of the conveyor, drawing back from the trough into the sump and from thence back into the tank.

Also, the Waste is picked up and tumbled and dropped back into the oil so that it is worked and agitated to loosen all dirt particles therein.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a tank adapted to contain liquid, of a substantially horizontal foraminous cylinder therein having a plurality of 5 longitudinally extending helically disposed foraminous propellers arranged therein mounted in said tank, said propellers and cylinder rotating as a single unit in said tank and the oil level of the liquid in the tank being sufficient to maintain the 30 bottom portion of said unit immersed.

2. The combination with a tank adapted to contain a liquid, of a substantially horizontal foraminous cylinder therein having a plurality of longitudinally extending helically disposed foram- 35 inous propellers continuous from end to end arranged therein, rotatably mounted in said tank, said propellers and cylinder rotating as a single unit and the level of the liquid in the tank being sufficient to'maintain the bottom portion of said .49 unit immersed.

3. The combination with a tank adapted to contain liquid, of a substantially horizontal foraminons cylinder therein having a plurality of longitudinally extending helically disposed foraminous propellers continuous from end to end in said tank and having a portion of their length thereof extending beyond the receiving end of the cylinder, rotatably mounted in said tank, said propellers and cylinder rotating as a single unit and the level of liquid in the tank being sufiicient to maintain the bottom portion of said unit immersed.

4. The combination with a tank adapted to contain liquid, of a substantially horizontal foraminous cylinder therein having a plurality of longitudinally extending helically disposed propellers arranged therein, each comprising a plurality of slats disposed in side by side relation,

rotatably mounted in said tank, said propellers and cylinders rotating as a single unit and the level of the liquid in the tank being sufiicient to maintain the bottom portion of the unit immersed.

5.,The combination with a tank adapted to,

contain liquid, of a substantially horizontal foraminous cylinder therein having a plurality of longitudinally extending helically disposed foraminous propellers arranged therein, the pitch of the helices decreasing towards the delivery end of the I cylinder, rotatably mounted in said tank, said propellers and cylinder rotating as a single unit and the level of the liquid in the tank being sufficient to maintain the bottom portion of said unit immersed.

6. The combination with a tank adapted to contain liquid, of a substantially horizontal foraminous cylinder therein having a plurality of longitudinally extending helically disposed foraminous propellers arranged therein, a portion of the length of said propellers extending beyond the receiving end of the cylinder and having a greater pitch than that portion disposed within the cylinder, rotatably mounted in said tank, said propellers and cylinder rotating as a single unit and the level of the liquid in said tank being surficient to maintain the bottom portion of said unit immersed.

LEONARD T. EVANS. 

